He wrung the steering wheel. “I’m trying.”
I squeezed his leg encouragingly.
The truth was, I didn’t have much hope we’d make it through this, but I was happy we’d tried. If I had to go down, I wanted to go down fighting. I’d never been one to give up, and I wasn’t about to start now. Not when the stakes were so high.
We were still a few miles away when the town came into view. The lights shining in the distance cut through the darkness like a beacon leading us home, growing brighter the closer we got. The town was small, a few dozen buildings, most of which were dark, but I focused on the tall sign shaped like a yellow shell. When we did reach the town, it was clear by the boarded-up windows and doors of the houses that some had been abandoned, but others still looked lived in. Old, rusty cars sat in front, and one or two had appliances in their yards that probably hadn’t worked in decades. It was a depressing place. A place where people went to avoid the outside world. Something I hoped worked to our advantage.
Marc was tense when he pulled into the gas station. Like the rest of the town, it was derelict. One ancient looking pump, a small building beyond with two boarded up windows despite the sign on the door that declared it to be open. The interior was lit up, but the lights were dim, giving it a creepy vibe, and I was sure the bathrooms were going to be disgusting. Since I was seven months pregnant and my son seemed to be using my bladder as a conga drum, I didn’t have much choice unless I wanted to pee on the side of the road. The baby was also demanding sustenance, and I was incredibly thirsty on top of that.
Marc let out a long breath when he put the car in park next to the single pump. “We need to get in and out as fast as possible.”
“I know,” I replied, “but I have to pee, and I need a snack and something to drink.”
His eyes flitted to my stomach, which I was currently stroking, and he frowned. “I should have thought to pack food and water.”
“It’s okay,” I assured him. “You fill up then come inside and we’ll get something. It will be fast.”
“Yeah.” He exhaled. “Okay.”
I moved to open my door, but stopped when he said, “I have some masks.”
“Masks?” I asked as he dug around in the glove compartment.
“Yeah.” He pulled out a handful of blue disposable masks, offering one to me. “There’s a pandemic, and we’ve been secluded from the outside world for months. Neither of us can risk getting sick, but especially not you.”
I took the mask. “Good thinking.”
Marc gave me a tense smile before opening his door. I did the same, then stepped into the chilly May evening. Running my hand over my stomach, I inhaled the fresh mountain air as I looked around. I was sore and stiff from being in the car for so long and wished I could take a few minutes to stretch my legs. Since that was too risky, the short walk to the convenience store would have to suffice.
“See you in a couple minutes,” Marc called when I headed off.
I shot him a smile I hoped looked confident, and he paused in the middle of unscrewing the gas cap to return it. His was even less convincing than mine probably was because it was so stiff that the dimple in his left cheek stayed hidden.
When I reached the store, I put the mask on before pulling the door open.
A bell dinged, alerting the man behind the counter to my presence. He was ancient, with yellowish skin so saggy it looked like it was melting, and big, hard eyes set under bushy gray brows. His hair was just as unruly, and his shirt was stained and had several holes at the collar. He wasn’t wearing a mask, which despite the pandemic, wasn’t much of a surprise. People movedto places like this so they could live on the outskirts of society and create their own rules.
The man eyed me with unconcealed suspicion as I approached, his eyes not once straying from my face.
“Help you?” he asked in a gravelly voice that screamed smoker.
“Can I use your bathroom?” Realizing he might deny me this privilege unless I bought something, I waved to the door and added, “My husband is filling up, then we’re going to get a few snacks before we get back on the road.”
The man’s focus stayed on my face when he waved. “Back of the store. The lock don’t work, but since there ain’t nobody else ’round, you’ll be good.”
“Thanks,” I said with genuine gratitude.
My bladder was edging its way toward an emergency situation.
I studied the interior of the store as I headed back. It was as shabby and as dirty as I’d expected, with shelves half full of random items, most of which I couldn’t imagine anyone buying. Cheap stuffed animals, boxes and cans of miscellaneous processed food that made my stomach turn, more lighters than one store would ever need, and other useless things. There were plenty of snacks too, but I made a mental note to check the expiration dates before I bought anything. The layer of dust coating everything in the store didn’t give me a whole lot of confidence that any of it would be fresh.
The odor of urine and something rotten hit me before I’d reached the bathroom, so it was no surprise that I flicked on the light to discover it was even more disgusting than the rest of the place. The sink was brown and filmy, the toilet didn’t have a seat, the floor was sticky, and black mold grew in every corner. It also smelled like something had died in it, which immediately had my gag reflex working overtime. A heightened sense of smell was one of the many side effects of pregnancy, and in that moment, it was also my least favorite.
Best to get this over with as fast as possible.
Hovering over the toilet was a challenge with my round body, but I managed, and emptying my bladder was so profound I actually moaned in relief. I opted not to wash my hands when I was finished since the sink looked dirtier than the toilet and I was very afraid I might catch something. There were probably enough bacteria growing in this bathroom to start another pandemic.
I almost ran into Marc when I opened the door.
